there is no such thing like the best mattress for everyone. Not when there are so many different sleeping positions. However, most people sleep on their side. The figures vary depending on the study and the rigidity with which a person who sleeps on their side is defined, but between the middle and three-quarters of people sleep on their sides. (He you are older and heavieryou are more likely to sleep on your side, and it is recommended that pregnant women sleep on your side.)
Firm mattresses are good for back sleepers, but side and stomach sleepers generally prefer a softer bed with some give for the hips and knees. I mainly sleep on my side. If you had asked me about my firmness preferences before I started reviewing bed-in-a-box mattresses, testing dozens for weeks throughout the year, I would have told you that the softer the better. In fact, if you sleep on your side, you’ll likely be drawn to comfortable memory foam mattresses. But, as I tried more styles and religiously tracked my sleep on my Apple Watch, I found that the best mattresses for side sleepers offer both cushion and support. The recommendations below have enough flexibility to allow your hips to sink and achieve natural spinal alignment without you feeling like turning is an uphill battle. Everything I recommend was tested during at least a week of real-life testing. All prices shown are for queen size models..
Be sure to check out our other sleep guides, including the best mattresses, the best organic mattresses, the best cooling mattresses, the best bed frames, the best sleep trackers, and our how-tos for installing a mattress in a box.
Updated May 2023: We added Casper One and Leesa Sapira Chill Hybrid.
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